


Nettle Leaf Weave

by Tarnhag



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chrom is a good dad, F/F, Lucina needs a therapist, Lucina support hours, Minor Chrom/Olivia (Fire Emblem), Minor Liz | Lissa/Maribelle, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Pegasus - Freeform, Pining, Requited Unrequited Love, Robin going HARD for the lowkey Godmother vibes, Tharja friendship hours, What If It Created..., What If Your Kid From Another Timeline Showed Up But You Didn't Have An S Support Yet, Yearning, brief descriptions of battle, paralogue children, technically a childfic but there is no child rearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23181907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarnhag/pseuds/Tarnhag
Summary: Sumia brought her pegasus as close as she could before calling out."Pardon me! But I think you may be… misinformed. Could we speak for a moment?"The girl huffed, affronted."Don't waste your breath! Your lies ring hollow! Your… ring?" Her eyes caught on something on Sumia's front that Robin couldn't see."…Ring? You- Your ring!"Robin's heart froze in her chest as a cold sweat broke down her back, a chill spreading across her skin as the wind whipped past them.The girl opened her mouth once more, face breaking into a relieved expression."Mother!"
Relationships: Lucina & My Unit | Reflet | Robin, My Unit | Reflet | Robin/Sumia, Tharja | Sallya & My Unit | Reflet | Robin
Comments: 11
Kudos: 31





	1. A Story To Read

The children had been appearing, more by the day.

Reuniting with parents who hadn't had them yet, and would never have them as they were now. Robin watched the tearful reunions, relieved that even one of their burdens could be lessened by the embrace of their parents.

But with each child, a tension mounted within her heart. No child had appeared before their parents had already married, but she couldn't help but wonder when a child would appear to throw their arms around a Shepherd who hadn't married, who wasn't even courting. 

How different was this world to the world of those children? Where would the differences start? Robin's thoughts marched deeper into her mind as she walked through camp. Lucina had come to change things, so surely at that moment her timeline and this timeline became two distinct realities. Maybe even before, with the way Lucina stared at some of the shepherds - eyes resting on the way Maribelle and Lissa stood together, matching rings glinting by the light of the campfire.

The way she stared at Robin, like she was moments away from letting some secret fall from her lips before she turned away. Something heavier than Robin's fate in Lucina's doomed timeline, so heavy that it crushed her tongue so she could not speak. Perhaps-

Robin was broken from her spiral as she collided with something - or rather, someone.

She cracked her eyes open from her wince to see Sumia doing the same, before standing and extending her hand to Sumia.

"Sumia! I'm so sorry I ran into you, I was so caught up in my thoughts…" 

Sumia's hand was warm in Robin's as she stood, letting go to wander across her armor, patting dust off and tweaking lapels as she blushed. 

"Oh - Oh it's okay Robin! I wasn't really watching where I was going either… what were you thinking about?"

"Just… all these kids from the future. It's very interesting to think about. What they meant in their timeline. What they mean in ours. Reminds me of one of your books, actually."

Sumia brightened at the last sentence.

"Ah, I've actually gotten a new book you might like, Robin. It's about a princess who has to weave blankets from nettles to save her three brothers - it's technically a children's story, but I just find the illustrations to be so captivating - and it's a reimagining of the original story with an older audience in mind!"

"Seems like something to wind down with at the end of the day." 

"Exactly - I know you mentioned having a hard time sleeping, some nights." Sumia nodded, a loose fist raised as she gained confidence.

Robin appreciated Sumia's recommendations - she didn't have the eclectic taste to match Sumia, but Sumia tried to bridge the gap with books that would fill a need in Robin's life. Like books about imps in gardens that happened to be written by horticulture enthusiasts, packed with information. Or books to simply help her drift off at night.

Robin smiled, "So, where were you going? I was just on a walk around camp."

Sumia jolted, "Oh! I was on my way to see Chrom about the bandits we're going to remove. It's horrible they've been using his name…"

"Yeah, it's unfortunate the people in this region have such a negative image of Chrom - it's going to take a while to fix their trust in the royal family if this has been going on as long as it seems to have been." Robin nodded, head tilting to the side as thoughts of reparations passed through her mind like a cloud over the pastures of her schedule for the Shepherds' march.

"In this next battle, can I assume you'll be flying with me again?" Sumia asked, bringing Robin back to reality.

Robin beamed at Sumia, "Of course! With your mobility and my support, we make a great team. And getting to spend more time with you is an added bonus, you know!"

Sumia's face reddened, "Yes… I love it! Er, fighting with someone, that is. Not to say I don't also like spending time with you! I like it. A lot. Um. I'll go see Chrom now. Bye!"

With a sway of soft brown hair, Sumia quickly disappeared around one of the tents. Robin was left blinking at what Sumia had said.

With a blush, Robin made her way back to her tent. Had she been too forward with Sumia? She hadn't thought her comment would give her away, but Sumia seemed flustered enough that Robin was doubting it.

Entering the tent, Robin sighed loudly. Sumia blushed at the drop of a hat, and it was one of the things Robin found so endearing about her - but it also made it hard to tell when Robin had really shown too much of her hand or not. 

The rest of Robin's day passed by, going over the formation the Shepherds would march in the next day and arranging their schedule. Eating at the mess tent. Watching Miriel cajole people into becoming study subjects. Helping Frederick put out the campfires.

When she returned to her tent to go to sleep, she found a small book on her cot. A black bound book with silver lining the borders of the cover, with three small silver swans circling each other in the center. As she picked it up, a note slipped from between the pages and fluttered onto the cot.

Robin picked up the note in her other hand, and folded it open to find a message.

_I liked how the heroine worked with the nettles for so long, and despite never adjusting to its pricks, she kept going because of how much it meant to her. It reminds me of how much work you put into learning about the shepherds when you joined up, even when some of us weren't the most trusting, and how you're trying with Lucina and her memories of a different you. I hope this helps you sleep._

_\- Sumia  
P.s. Let me know what you think! Bring an apple for the Pegasi tomorrow. _

A small Pegasus was sketched at the bottom of the note, and Robin smiled it before folding it back up and tucking it into the book. After getting into her bedclothes, she settled in to read.

That night, she dreamt of swans swimming around a princess with long brown hair, a nettle leaf pinched between her fingers.


	2. An Eventful Day

The next morning Robin woke up with the book splayed on her stomach, pages idly split open to one of the book's many illustrations. Sitting up, she plucked the book from her lap and moved to place it out of the way.

Sumia had been right, the book had helped Robin's mind settle down and sleep. The illustrations were a nice touch, black hatched scenes comfortably nested within the relatively light story for children to reenact with their friends. Dark at times, introspective even, but with a clear moral thought. Even with this adaptation for an older audience, Robin could see it. Sticks for swords, flowers for jewels of a crown, that sort of game. Robin didn't remember what her childhood was like, but she liked to think she'd been a child who'd enjoy that sort of activity. 

Robin knew Sumia had most certainly been the type. The thought of Sumia walking around with flowers woven into her hair and wildflower stems looped around her fingers like a kind of forest royal made her heart skip a beat. She could ask if Sumia knew how, of course. And Sumia would likely love to teach her, and maybe even give her a flower fortune telling.

Sumia would laugh as she plucked away at the daisy in her fingers, petals dropping into her lap as she teased around the fate of whatever question Robin had asked the flower. Grow serious as the white dwindled around its yellow center, a pleasant furrow in her brow as though she could will the daisy to sprout more petals, will the fortune to reflect only the happiest of outcomes. 

Her face would clear as the last petal remained, and she would loudly announce Robin's question was fated to be. She'd pause to ask what Robin had asked the flower, and Robin would flush before admitting,

"I asked if I would be so lucky as to spend my life, like this, with you."

Or, that _would_ be what Robin would say if she had the nerve. The likelier option would be Robin fidgeting as she made up some new query.

Robin sighed, standing up to roll her bedroll up and off the cot. She needed to stop getting so lost in her head, and focus on the day ahead. 

Packing up the camp was a short affair, as Frederick had long cleared away the fires' sooty remnants, readied the horses and packed up anything that wasn't attached to a member of the camp before the dawn could end. 

The Shepherds set off on their march to where the bandits had been reported to make camp.

Lucina was marching further back in the party alongside Severa, and when Robin turned to glance back she could see Lucina letting small smiles slip into her conversation with the other girl. Robin was always relieved to see the ice around Lucina's emotions thaw, normally obscured behind a stoic expression and actions that betrayed her panicked thoughts.

After running into several of the children from the future, Lucina had relaxed a great deal from the point she had been at only weeks prior. Ready to strike Robin down, Robin ready to let her do so. Now she seemed to have faith in Robin as she was in this timeline. Perhaps part of it was in the confusion in her eyes whenever she was around Robin for too long.

Robin had already decided she didn't like to dwell on what that expression meant, and shifted her focus to chatting with Chrom about the road ahead and the local landmarks.

Eventually, at the head of the formation, Chrom and Robin came across a young girl. Her hair was done wildly into two short pigtails, white hair near blinding in the sun and she jumped in place and waved fervently at Chrom and Robin. 

"And you are…?" 

"All who would pretend to Chrom's name will answer to me for their deceit! Lay down your arms and surrender - or face judgement at my spear!" The girl struck a pose like an actress in a play, but the spear she leveled was steady and sharp.

Chrom glanced towards Robin. "Well, she certainly seems eager. What do you think, Robin?" he asked in a soft tone.

"If she's being honestly deceived, we may be able to show her the truth." he continued, his hand swaying to the hilt of Falchion.

Her eyes snapped to Chrom's hand, Falchion's distinctive hilt obscured.

"Enough! In the name of my lord Chrom, cast down your sword or draw it!" she commanded, a line of steel running into her tone as her spear raised.

Glancing at the other Shepherds, the girl seemed to come to a decision before leaping back and whistling a high, clear note. A white Pegasus darted from the trees, and the girl pulled herself onto it's back before it galloped further up the trail, momentarily out of sight.

None of the shepherds moved, unwilling to pursue a lone retreating target. Especially one Chrom and Robin had not moved to defend against or attack.

"Father? Robin? What has happened?" Lucina stepped forward, earlier hints of her smiles replaced with a serious expression.

"Oh, Lucina. We came across what looked to be a scout for the bandits. She seems to truly believe their leader to be 'Chrom'." Chrom chuckled, hand leaving Falchion's hilt to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Lucina frowned, but shifted into the touch. 

"Father, it cannot be wise to allow a scout to return to their group, even one you believe to be misguided."

"Well, what is a shepherd but someone to guide the misguided?" Chrom smiled, hand moving up to tousle Lucina's hair around her diadem. 

"Not to mention, the scout will show us the location of the bandit's camp much quicker. I am confident we will be able to subdue them, even with the disadvantage." Robin added.

Lucina ducked out from under Chrom's hand at Robins words and nodded, face smoothing out like an instrument being strung too tight.

"I trust your judgement, Robin… I do ask you allow me to accompany my father in this fight, however."

Robin paused, considering.

"Well… I certainly can, but are you sure you don't want to fight with your Mother? Olivia loves to dance for you, you know."

"Yes, and I love to see her dance again… but I know she will be in the interior of the formation, unlike father." A soft look entered Lucina's eye at the mention of her mother.

Robin nodded with a shrug, "Alright, I'll let Olivia and Lissa know they will be pairing up for this battle, then. Is that alright with you, Chrom?"

"I'm always alright with the second best swordfighter in the Halidom at my back!" Chrom beamed, arm reaching across Lucina's shoulders in a loose hug before walking further up the path.

Lucina glanced at Robin, "Thank you." before striding after Chrom, a retort on her lips at her father's ranking.

Robin shifted back into the march formation to let Olivia and Lissa know about their new fighting partners for the upcoming skirmish. After ensuring both were aware and leaving the pair now marching together with Maribelle riding alongside them at a slow gait, Lissa's hand on the mare's flank, Robin made her way towards the front of the formation again.

Among the sounds of the horses plodding along and packs shifting, the flutter of white feathers at the corner of her eye was all the warning she had before Sumia's Pegasus cantered up beside Robin. She startled, which wasn't a great thing to do around Pegasi, but she just couldn't remain calm when she found herself too close to their hooves that drove into the ground with heavy, precise steps.

Sumia laughed from atop her mount, bright like a bell.

"Sorry, Robin! I didn't mean to startle you. I wanted to see if you'd like to ride with me the rest of the way, since we'll be flying together today!" She turned, sheepish, 

"That and, well, Aureus wanted to see if you'd brought any apples." She admitted, a hand scratching behind her head.

Robin righted herself, "It's alright! As a matter of fact-" she reached into her satchel to draw out a large apple, red and gleaming. 

"- I do have an apple for her." Robin finished, as Aureus' head bent down to cleanly snap the apple up.

Sumia's hand resumed it's grip on the reins, loose and comfortable.

"That's good! See how she's warming up to you!" 

"I don't know if bribery is a valid foundation for a relationship… but I will admit she hasn't stepped on me in weeks."

Sumia winced at the memory. 

"She's really sorry about that, you know."

"I think that has more to do with the apples than anything else."

"Well… maybe." Sumia let out a giggle. "She really didn't like you at all."

Robin didn't answer, content to watch Sumia in the rising morning light. Her hair and armor softly illuminated in the sun, and the blush tinging her cheeks from sheer enjoyment.

"-in? Robin?" Robin shook her head.

"Sorry?"

Sumia tilted her head with a slight frown.

"I was asking if you'd like to get on, now."

"Oh! Yes, of course."

Sumia's feet may have been uncoordinated, but her grip was strong and steady from her years as a lance fighter. She helped Robin hoist onto Aureus' back with ease, shifting her foot out of the stirrup to give Robin a foothold.

Robin settled against Sumia's back, hands wandering over the flank of the Pegasus. She never knew what to do with them when they weren't in a fight. In a fight she could hold on to Sumia, needed to as they soared through the skies and Robin cast Thoron hot on the heels of Sumia's lance. 

Sumia's face peeked from behind her curls as she turned her head to speak.

"It's better if you shift your weight forward and hold on to me, Robin. That is, if you want to, I mean! I don't want to make you uncomfortable…" she turned back, the tips of her reddened ears visible.

Robin stared for a moment, glad Sumia couldn't see the blush on her face as she gingerly shifted her weight forward, arms loosely linked around Sumia's waist. 

"Rig… Right." she mumbled into Sumia's back.

For the first few minutes, they rode in a stiff silence. Not uncomfortable, but not relaxed. Then, with the gentle sway of Aureus's gait, they relaxed into each other, Robin daring to pop her head onto Sumia's shoulder to speak next to her ear.

"We'll be at the bandit camp soon enough. There is a scout who thinks their leader really is Chrom, unfortunately" Robin sighed, willing herself not to freeze up with Sumia gave a slight jolt. Whoops.

"She could be reasoned with - but she's a flyer like you, so Chrom can't reach her with Lucina. Do you want to try and talk with her?" Robin continued, willing herself not to blush. Confidence was key, it would be normal if she acted like it was normal.

Sumia's shoulders relaxed, "Yes, I'd like that."

She shifted her head, as if to look at Robin with her reply, but her cheek end up pressed against Robin's nose, Robin's lips not even a hair's breadth away from touching on her skin.

They leaned away quickly, swaying as they kept balance on the mount. Sheepish silence followed for a moment before Robin noticed Sumia's shoulders shook.

Robin panicked, afraid Sumia was upset with her, before Sumia burst out laughing.

It felt contagious, and it brightly bubbled in Robin's chest before a laugh popped from her mouth. They laughed for what felt like ages before Sumia, gasping for breath, apologized.

"I'm sorry, Robin! I just was so startled, I hadn't realized I was going to hit your face!"

Robin's laughter quieted, and she spoke.

"No- no it's alright! I shouldn't have put my head on your shoulder like that, I didn't mean to shock you."

"Well… well that's alright. Um, I didn't really mind it. It was sort of nice, really…" Sumia drifted off, embarrassed.

"Oh, well, it is a bit easier than trying to talk from behind you… I'm glad you don't mind."

The conversation petered off, but Robin didn't think it was awkward. Aside from the usual nerves that came with being around Sumia, she just felt warm.

A yell from the front of the march was all they needed to hear to know it was time to go, and with a shuddering leap, Aureus was up in the air.

Most of the fight was routine for the shepherds. They moved like a well tended blade, coordinating with teammates and protecting one another.

Sumia and Robin soared through the air, Robin casting Thoron down on non-mobile armored units, Sumia darting in with a finishing blow from her lance while Robin watched for archer ambush.

They made their way west of the field, to where a white Pegasus was swooping in and out of reach of the flank of the shepherds.

Sumia brought Aureus as close as she could before calling out. The wind would have caught her voice, but Robin used a wind tome to carry Sumia's words in the air to the girl. 

"Pardon me! But I think you may be… misinformed. Could we speak for a moment?"

The girl huffed, affronted.

"Don't waste your breath! Your lies ring hollow! Your… ring?" Her eyes caught on something on Sumia's front that Robin couldn't see.

"…Ring? You- Your ring!"

Robin's heart froze in her chest as a cold sweat broke down her back, a chill spreading across her skin as the wind whipped past them.

The girl opened her mouth once more, face breaking into a relieved expression. 

"Mother!"


	3. Walk and Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alt text: the author shoves her love for Tharja and Lucina into the fic

Robin could distantly feel Sumia stiffen against her front.

_"…What?"_

The girl across from them began gesturing wildly with a hand off her reins.

"It is you! Oh, _Mother, you're alive!"_ The girl's eyes were lined with tears, threatening to spill onto her wobbling smile, Robin noted through the fog.

She felt like she was pulled back into a tunnel, watching the scene before her with this girl having a tearful reunion with her mother. Another one of the children from the future. From Sumia's future. The future where Robin was the one who took this from Sumia. The future where she took Sumia from this girl.

Robin didn't notice that Sumia remained rigid in her saddle, as she gently informed the girl about Chrom.

She felt so lost she didn't hear Sumia sigh to herself as the girl sped off to confront the Bandits' leader,

"Well, at least she's not confused anymore. If only I could say the same for me…"

The fight ended quickly after that, Sumia's daughter making short work of Chrom's impersonator.

As Sumia's Pegasus touched down to the earth, the jolt snapped Robin back into the front of her mind.

"Are you alright?" Sumia asked, shifting in the saddle to look at Robin with concern. Robin's eyes caught on the ring glinting on Sumia's chest plate, a simple but well-loved affair on a chain. It must have come out during all the flying.

Robin paused, "Yes… I'm fine. Just a little airsick, I think." She laughed weakly and slid off the side of Aureus, giving the horse's side a flat pat before nodding to Sumia.

"I'm going to go check in on Chrom, okay?"

She turned and walked away without waiting for an answer.

She approached as Chrom and Frederick were discussing the mercenaries who had been deceived by the bandit leader

"-frankly, I'm shocked that scoundrel had the audacity to impersonate you, milord" Frederick lamented, tall even off of his mount.

"Not the worst of his crimes, I'm sure." Chrom replied, voice somber.

Robin nodded to the pair and kept walking through the Shepherds' army as Frederick launched into his next campaign of Chrom's 'motivational' portraits.

As they packed up, Robin noted she hadn't seen Sumia or her daughter. Gods, she had handled that poorly. She should be happy for Sumia, who had always been a family oriented woman, to know she would have a daughter that, while perhaps gullible, was clearly fiercely loyal. That she would have a family.

With white hair like that, it could only have been Henry that Sumia had married in the girl's timeline. It wasn't a surprise, they got along well.

Robin hadn't suspected they would have exchanged rings already, though.

Robin saw Lucina striding over, and assumed she would pass her on her way to Chrom. But she came to a stop before Robin and looked at her, strained.

"Is she here?"

Robin squinted, confused and too tired to keep a pleasant demeanor.

"…who?"

"Cynthia? Father told me what the scout looked like, and I wanted to know if it was true"

"…is that her name? Yes, she's here."

Lucina looked shocked, "Is that all you have to say? She's-" Robin cut in, a headache growing.

"-Sumia's daughter, yes. I thought it would be best to give them time to talk."

"But- But what about _you?"_

Robin's eyes widened as she looked at Sumia.

"What _about_ me?"

Lucina stopped, mouth open. Robin sighed, a hand pressing into her forehead.

"I did not expect you to know this about me, Lucina. Please, for Sumia's sake, forget it. I won't stand in the way of whatever future her daughter represents, just as I promised you I wouldn't stand in the way of young Lucina's future here in Ylisse."

For the second time that day, Robin left without waiting for an answer.

The shepherds trekked back to town and made camp on its outskirts. Frederick wasted no time depositing the bandits in the town square and into the hands of the local leaders, explaining the situation in full. Chrom, Frederick, Robin and the town's council discussed how to address the damage the bandits had caused for the townsfolk’s livelihood and Chrom's reputation.

Chrom had dissuaded Frederick from another unfortunate printing of his 'motivational' posters, and had settled on meeting with the people of the town to answer their questions. Chrom went with Vaike and Maribelle to hand out supplies to the townsfolk that had been recovered from the bandits' camp - along with some extras as a silent apology for the Shepherds not arriving sooner.

Robin had retired early to her tent for the night, citing airsickness and a headache. The thought of facing Sumia, more so her daughter, brought tears to Robin's eyes. She couldn't apologize to Sumia until she had it under control - until she could look at Sumia and only express the happiness she felt at the sign of Sumia's future holding what she'd always dreamed about.

A family, a child to love that loved her in return, with her best qualities reflected in their actions.

She sat on her cot. The candle burned low from being lit so early in the evening. The book Sumia had lent her sat at the foot of her bedroll, closed. Robin picked it up with a sigh, flipping it open to the page she'd placed her marker in the night before. She set aside the flattened, worn out quill she’d taken to using as a bookmark after the tip had unfortunately snapped and resumed reading.

The book had ended up more serious than Sumia had described, but Robin enjoyed it.

_Today is the seventy-ninth day since this task has been laid upon me, and while I wear under its weight, I do not bend. I must complete the blankets for my dear brothers and free them from their feathered forms. Sometimes, as I work, I watch them glide across the water. In moments where the sting of my palms against the nettles grows too loud, my mind wanders to selfish thoughts._

_What if my brothers – as they are now – are simply swans? Do they know me, or know the lives they've had taken away? If I left them here to swim and soar and thrive as birds, would they slight me for it? But then the nettle brings fresh stings and my mind returns. I must complete this task, if not for them, then for me._

_I could not live knowing I had failed them, even if they did not know it themselves._

Robin slipped the marker into the book and snapped it shut. The heroine of the book endured hardships in silence for the sake of her loved ones - she didn't utter a single sound despite her hands pricked raw from her work. She knew what she had to do, even if the people she did it for couldn't understand.

Sumia had said that the heroine reminded her of Robin, and Robin hoped that was true.

Robin woke before dawn, unable to fall back asleep. She changed into her dayclothes and cloak and stepped out of her tent. Frederick was already up, halfway through his morning regimen of stoking coals to cook breakfast at the firepits set up the night before.

Robin strode over to greet him. "Frederick, good morning."

"Good morning, Robin. You're up earlier than usual" Frederick replied, not looking up from his crouch as he turned coals, undersides softly glowing in the dim predawn light.

"Is there anything you'd like help with?" Robin asked. "I could get the pots prepared for some of our oats, make some oatmeal?" she suggested, thinking on the large bags of oats they'd acquired at the last town.

"No, no need. I have already prepared the ingredients for this morning. All that is left is to place them onto the coals once the sun has risen a bit more. Though, we could do with a bit more firewood - it seems I did not gather quite enough yesterday."

"Oh, I see. Well - I'll go collect some! It won't take long." Robin smiled, turning towards the thrush of trees a short distance away, the start of a sparse wood.

"Thank you, Robin." Frederick said, looking up from the coals to nod briefly towards her.

Robin walked towards the trees, through the long grass that streaked dew onto her cloak and hands as she went. Her mind drifted to the young girl, Cynthia. She was so happy to be with Sumia. Robin was happy for her, truly. But the pain in her chest, the pit in her stomach for losing something she didn't even have with Sumia remained.

And the way she had spoken to Lucina… truly, Robin felt as though she needed to get her head in order. Apologize, if she had the chance.

As she reached the first of the trees, scraggly and ashen in the grey dawn, a voice slipped from behind a trunk.

"Robin, what's bothering you?"

Robin flinched but didn't startle. "Tharja… we talked about you following me," she sighed.

Tharja stepped out from behind the tree and ambled over to Robin.

"Yes, and we agreed to disagree. You dodged my question." She peered at Robin's face.

When Tharja had joined the Shepherds, Robin hadn't known entirely what to think. Tharja made no attempt to conceal her interest in Robin. At times it made Robin feel as though she was being studied like one of Miriel's tests. Except Miriel would call it a day, while Tharja would almost tirelessly observe her. It had gotten better once Robin had confronted her, suggested Tharja could simply talk with her if she were curious. Now, Robin felt that she and Tharja were friends, tentatively. Tharja showed a surprising amount of care for friends, though it usually came in the form of threats.

"Is it about Sumia's daughter?" Tharja continued, blunt. "You know, with the right hex--"

"No! Gods, no, Tharja. You're not hexing anybody today." Robin interjected, reproach snapping into her tone.

Tharja leaned back, a thin smile on her lips. "I was kidding. Mostly. You dodged the question again, by the way."

Robin sighed. Tharja wouldn't be dropping it anytime soon, at this rate.

"Well… yes. We've never had a child show up before their parents were married, or even together."

"It's also never been Sumia's child." Tharja mentioned, feigning interest in her nails as Robin looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Robin, you can drop the pretense. We both know I watch you too often for that to work." She huffed, dark eyes meeting Robin's from under the thick line of her bangs. "You're visibly enamored with her at this point."

Robin blushed, striding ahead to pick dead branches from the forest floor. "I am not!” she blustered. “You don't get to say that. You probably see me more than anyone else in camp. I am _highly_ visible to you!"

"So you won't deny that I'm right about Sumia, though?" Tharja called, the gravelly undertone of her voice more pronounced as it carried.

Robin straightened, several dead branches cradled in the crook of her arm, not facing Tharja.

"…I won't. Not to you, at least."

A dry, almost raspy snickering. "Robin, I'm touched. Truly."

Robin continued to collect firewood, indistinctly musing under her breath about _privacy_ and _revenge_ and _unfair stealth_ , knowing Tharja would catch every word. 

It went on like this for a short while, Robin shuffling through layers of dead and decaying forest floor to pluck out suitably crisp, dry branches to bring back to camp. When she straightened to turn back to camp, arms cradling what was likely more than enough to bolster Frederick's stockpile, another bundle of branches was unceremoniously dumped onto her own. Tharja stepped next to Robin in companionable silence as they made their way back to camp, the blue of morning starting to bake into the grey of dawn.

As they neared the edge of the woods, Tharja slipped away to resume her lurking. The dulled bronze of her wristbands clinked together as she uncrossed her arms.

"You should at least tell her, you know. You're the one who told me 'silence never contributes to a relationship,' after all."

"It might, when she has a kid now." Robin shrugged, defensive.

Another flick of the hand. "Except she _doesn't_ have a kid yet. She has a part of her future in a timeline that hasn't even happened here. You've already talked with Lucina and Chrom about things that have happened differently from what Lucina knew… you know how things went with Plegia in Lucina's time." Tharja huffed snidely, hand drifting to her mouth as she bit into her thumb.

Robin winced at the memory of Lucina informing her and Chrom about how Ylisse's original clash with Plegia in her time went. In the scrambling conflicts, Tharja never joined the Shepherds. They didn't know if she died on the sands or simply slipped away, but Robin knew it bothered Tharja as she teethed at the flesh of her thumb from the corner of her eye.

"Tharja… that's true. And I'm glad for the things that have been different, you know. I'm glad to have you as a friend, and to be able to talk like this. I hope you know that, even if we didn't have this in another time."

Robin could see Tharja's head lift as she turned to look at Robin, thumb freed but hand remaining over her lips as she regarded Robin through her bangs. Robin noticed the twitch of Tharja's cheek as her lips twisted unseen behind her hand.

"I… do. Thank you, Robin. I'm glad as well. Just remember what I said earlier."

Robin felt an easy smile form. “About Sumia, or the hexing--“

“--both." Tharja interjected with low giggle as she disappeared off to… wherever she would be while watching Robin, or otherwise. To Robin's joy, she had diversified her activities with the Shepherds beyond just watching Robin as of late.

Robin walked back into camp. She ducked into the tent where Frederick kept general supplies and added her branches to his neatly arranged pile. His concern of running out had been… unlikely, Robin thought. The man had meticulously gathered enough to last the duration of this encampment even before Robin's (messier) contribution.

Robin stepped out of the tent to find Frederick and inform him the extra firewood had been collected, wandering between the tents as the last fragments of dawn melted into the gentle warming of morning sunlight.

The smell of breakfast led Robin towards one of the main cookfires in the camp. Frederick was diligently serving bowls of steaming oatmeal to bleary-eyed shepherds shuffling around the fire. She noticed Tharja and Olivia moving around the slow-bubbling pot to tuck sugar and spices into the oatmeal as Frederick looked towards whoever was receiving a bowl, and palming extra seasoning to those who had been served before their timely intervention. 

Robin stepped into the loose line. She yawned minutely with the tired retinue of Shepherds as she inched closer to her breakfast. Frederick nodded to her as she received a bowl.

"There are spoons over there," he gestured immaculately with the ladle towards the small crate away from the fire, managing to keep all the oatmeal on the wooden surface of the utensil to Robin's mild interest, "and there is enough for seconds if you require it."

"Thank you, Frederick. I put the firewood with what you've already collected. Is there anything else you'd need help with this morning?"

"You're welcome. And no, thank you, Robin. Aside from our daily shared duties there is nothing else I require help with." Frederick gave a slight smile and returned to idly stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to keep the oatmeal from burning at the bottom. Tharja and Olivia remained unnoticed with their respective bowls near the pot as they spoke quietly.

Robin ambled over to the crate and fished out a wooden spoon before wandering off to eat her breakfast. ' _Maybe look over today's marching route…'_ she thought idly as she swiveled to face the direction her tent was in. Breakfast would be on for a good while yet. She would have plenty of time to finish and bring her bowl back to wash up.

Entering through the flap of her tent, Robin set her breakfast onto the table where her maps were spread and pinned down with miscellaneous books, ink blocks, or just rocks she'd swiped from Frederick’s collectection of post-route clearing detritus. Robin snapped the half-melted candle stub on the table to light in the dimmed tent and plopped onto her makeshift seat made from the crate her supplies were packed into for travel. She shifted her scrolls to find the right itinerary for the day's march.

While pouring over her papers and intermittently spooning cooling oatmeal into her mouth, the sound of footsteps outside of Robin's tent neared and stopped outside the entryway. Robin paused as Lucina's head hesitantly peered through the tent flaps.

"Robin… may I have a moment of your time?"

Robin shifted to face the entry of her tent. "Of course, Lucina! Come inside."

Lucina quickly nodded quickly before withdrawing her head to step inside.

“Lucina,” Robin sighed, “I want to apologize for yesterday. I was too abrupt with you when you had done nothing wrong. I… shouldn’t let my own struggles change how I interact with people who aren't involved. Least of all you, now that we're finally at a place of mutual understanding."

Lucina stared at Robin blankly.

"I was not expecting an apology."

"That doesn’t mean I didn't owe you one."

Lucina paused to process. Slowly, she spoke, "Then… thank you, Robin. I'm not quite used to apologies."

Robin smiled fondly at Lucina and once again thought, _'I truly meant it when I promised to protect her future…a future where nothing kind is unfamiliar to her.'_ The fondness she already had for the infant princess in Ylisstol extended to the princess before her as Chrom's children, and Lucina as a strong young woman in her own right.

"So, Lucina, what can I help you with? You can sit down, by the way, if you would like."

Lucina shifted her weight on her feet but stayed standing with a small shake of her head.

"No, that is alright. Though, today I came because I feel I owe you an apology of my own. I have not been entirely forthcoming with the events of my Ylisse, in a way that involves you."

Robin felt a prickle of nervousness strike her stomach at Lucina's words, however, she gestured for Lucina to continue with undivided attention in spite of it.

Lucina's voice took on a slightly musing quality as she spoke. "The Robin I 'knew'… is different than you. Grima's corruption made it hard to recognize what Robin had looked like before, in the times we fought. But in the palace, there was a group portrait in my father's study. It was of my mother and father with a person who looks very similar to you, and yet not at all. You're barely my father's height, but this person was clearly taller - your face has a gentle quality, while their's was much sterner. They had the same hair and eye color, and the same clothing, but otherwise had a completely different style and countenance. The portrait was named and dated for the year that, in this timeline, has just passed. And the portrait that hangs in the palace here, now, is the same - just with you where the other held that unfamiliar person."

"I do not think you are the same person at all." Lucina breathed.

Stunned, Robin said, "Lucina… why wait so long to say anything? I'm not angry, but why?"

"Coming back in time was the last thing we could do to save our futures… and so many things here are the same! I felt that until I could be certain, I should proceed like I hadn't seen the portrait in my time at all. You do still occupy the same role, the same history, as the Robin from my timeline." Lucina's voice cracked, "Grima knew how their vessel lived and felt, before. They flaunted that Robin didn't have a choice in becoming Grima, in betraying their friends. You could still be the one to destroy this future as well. I trust you now, Robin, but I couldn't put my trust above my experiences. My father's trust led to his death in my time. I'm not ready to see that again." Lucina sat heavily on the edge of Robin's cot, unshed tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks as she looked imploringly at Robin. Her hands clenched and twisted in her lap in an unconscious rhythm as she struggled to keep her composure.

"Lucina." Robin knelt in front of her at the cot. Her hands hovered over Lucina's for a moment, but settled on top of them when Lucina uncurled her fists to hold her palms up on her lap. She tried to speak past the rising pressure in her throat. "I'm sorry you've felt like this, and been alone with this for so long. I'm glad you told me - and I understand that even if Grima's vessel in your time isn't the same as me, they're similar enough to me that I can have the same consequences. If I were in your position, I can't say I would have done things differently. You don't need to apologize for surviving. Everything you've done, you've done for other people, at your own expense." Robin gave Lucina's hands a reassuring squeeze.

"You don't need to do that anymore. Your father is here, your mother is here - everyone is here, including your friends from your time. Sacrifices don't need to all be from one person, if any have to be made at all. I can't begin to tell you how proud Chrom is to have you as his daughter - you, as the Lucina here and now. It's not just the baby Lucina in this timeline that has a future here. Share your burdens with us, just as we'll share our futures with you."

Lucina's eyes blurred, the brand in her eye a distorted shimmer of winking blues as tears slipped from her face onto Robin's hands in her lap. She gripped Robin's hands tightly as her expression wavered.

"Thank you, Robin." Lucina leaned forward and pulled Robin into a firm hug. Robin stiffened before relaxing into the hold, reaching up to hug Lucina back just as tightly. She hadn't known Lucina to be a tactile person, but maybe part of that was how little she could afford it before. Robin silently resolved to advise Chrom to turn up the fatherly affection even higher than his current near constant output of half hugs and fond expressions.

After a few minutes of Robin rubbing soothing circles into Lucina’s back, Lucina calmed enough to pull back. Her eyes were slightly puffed and her nose was runny, but she seemed much more relaxed than Robin had seen her. They both stood.

"Do you need a handkerchief?" Robin asked. At Lucina's nod, Robin passed her one from her bags. As Lucina dabbed at her eyes and swiped at her nose with the cloth, Robin began, "If you need, you can stay here for a little bit longer. I'm just going to be going over the marching routes for a while. That's just if you'd like, though."

Lucina paused before looking at the handkerchief in her hands.

“I think I would.” She spoke in a small voice.

Lucina settled back into the cot as Robin returned to her makeshift desk. She resumed scratching along the lists and paths for each travel route the Shepherds could take. Robin had definitely missed returning her bowl, but hopefully Frederick wouldn't be too displeased.

She could always make up for it in the future.


End file.
